Following up on the previous post, titled paradigm shift in the garden, last September a workshop took place in Ribeira Sacra (Ourense) with the renowned French landscape architect Gilles Clément. One of the workshop’s objectives was to generate various proposals for the socio-economic revitalization of the area.
In this mountainous enclave, the recovery of traditional vineyard cultivation on its steep slopes, which shapes and characterizes this landscape, has already led to significant revitalization of local life. To complement this type of dynamic, some of the ideas presented proposed promoting beekeeping, already initiated in the area by some small private initiatives, as a complement to wine-making activity.
For bee breeding, the presence of melliferous plants is necessary, very abundant in this natural environment and represented by varied species, which give rise to unique quality honey. But to cultivate, in our gardens and green spaces, plants that favor the presence of pollinators and increase biodiversity in our immediate environment, at Viveros Sala Graupera, we can find various species with these characteristics, one of them is Stachys byzantina
This is a perennial herbaceous plant, native to the Caucasus region, commonly known as lamb’s ear. It is structured in the form of a compact, low-growing clump, with ground-covering behavior. In full development it reaches a height of about 30 cm and about 50 cm wide.
The foliage of this plant is very unique, silver in color and velvety in texture, which is the characteristic that gives rise to its common name.
It blooms in summer, in the months of June and July. Its magenta-pink flowers appear slightly hidden among the felt of the flower stems, while the flower structures have a strong presence, as they stand out above the foliage reaching a height of 70cm.
It does not require pruning, although it is advisable to remove dry leaves that may appear in the basal area to maintain its good appearance. It may also be convenient to remove inflorescences early if you want to promote a particularly compact growth habit.
It likes dry environments and soils with low fertility and good drainage. Therefore, except if it is grown in pots, it does not need to be fertilized. It is resistant to low temperatures, withstanding moderate frosts down to -15ºC, although very harsh winters can cause it to lose part of the foliage, which it will recover without problems in the following spring.
It is very resistant to pests and diseases, if grown in the right conditions, since places with excessive humidity can cause some problems to appear. Therefore, overwatering should be avoided.
It is a species with medium growth, requires little care, and is easy to cultivate. It should preferably be located in a sunny place and once established it is very resistant to lack of water.
Due to its characteristics it is an ideal plant for use in sustainable gardening, with low water requirements and very little maintenance, as well as in naturalized spaces or in rock gardens. It can also be grown in pots.